THE Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG) is supporting efforts to establish stronger links between local farmers and food-service businesses, saying more predictable markets could help farmers expand production while reducing businesses’ reliance on imported food.
WCCIG President Josephine Tapp-Rutherford represented the Chamber at a multi-stakeholder discussion chaired by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, where stakeholders examined ways to improve farm-to-market linkages and create more direct connections between producers and buyers.
The engagement brought together farmers, hospitality businesses, private-sector organisations and agricultural agencies to identify practical measures for strengthening the local food supply chain.
While the initiative initially focused on hotels, the discussions were expanded to include caterers, restaurants, cafés and agro-processors, recognising the significant demand for locally produced food across these sectors.
WCCIG said the broader approach was particularly important because many of these businesses are represented within its membership and form an important part of the domestic market for agricultural producers.
Among the challenges discussed were consistency of supply, quality, quantity, pricing, traceability and distribution , all factors that can determine whether businesses are able to reliably source agricultural products locally.
A proposed four-month pilot programme, scheduled to run from September to December, is expected to provide an opportunity to connect participating producers directly with businesses while monitoring supply levels, quality standards, pricing and delivery.
WCCIG welcomed the proposed pilot, describing it as a practical step towards developing a more inclusive market-linkage system that reflects the needs of farmers as well as the full range of businesses purchasing locally produced food.
The Chamber said stronger domestic supply chains could create new opportunities for farmers, support business growth, and contribute to Guyana’s food-security objectives.
It also stressed the importance of public education and awareness programmes to ensure start-ups and entrepreneurs understand the initiative, including how they can participate and benefit from the opportunities created.
WCCIG said greater awareness, coordination and direct engagement between producers and buyers would be critical to building a more resilient local food system and ensuring that increased agricultural production translates into sustainable commercial opportunities.
